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Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Okay, I've been super busy lately doing a bunch of different stuff, not helped by the fact that I have really not been sleeping well lately! I need some sleep!

When I have been awake and alert enough to do things I have been mainly working on Simply Stampin' Challenge DT projects, especially ones for when I am away (so you will all have something to look forward to even while I am out of the country! Unfortunately, I have to keep it secret 'till the week it's due and therefore don't really have anything to show!

Apart from DT samples I have been working on projects for my two workshops I have next week and the one the week after. Please feel free to come along! I'll try and post a few sneaky peeks to tempt you to come along!

Finally, I have been working on ideas and projects to do at my upcoming monthly classes too! Busy times!

Monday, 28 March 2011

Just to update you all on my plans to hold a class, and outline again, exactly what these classes will entail.

Each class will last for roughly 3 hours and I am intending to run them on the third Saturday of every month at my home from 11am 'till 2pm.

Cost for the class will be about £12 and it will be payable on the day. This cost includes all the materials you will need to make several projects, my time and expertise, instructions for you to take away with you - so you can easily do the project/technique again at home, plus lots of tea and cake!

As I said previously there won't be any commitment to come every month but if you do wish to come, you will need to book your place as I will have limited spaces!

Each class will focus on 2-3 different techniques plus a 3d item! Samples will be made in swap format (ie a card front).Classes will discuss techniques outside of those scheduled and will also cover suggestions for layouts and designs.

I will post the techniques and details of the 3d item for that month's class at the beginning of each month, alternatively, come along to my class for a sneak peek into the following month's class.

Please do spread the word and you are most welcome to bring a friend along! The more of you there are, the better it will become!

Any personal orders made during a class will not contribute towards the cost of a class.

Finally, with all this in mind, taking into consideration the business of April and Easter, and also giving myself enough time to promote and plan, I would like to announce that my first class will be held on Saturday May 21st from 11am - 2pm!

Side Note - This will be my last activity for a few weeks as I am then heading off to the States to see family and friends and attend my cousin's wedding (very excited!)! I will be back early to mid June - I'm waiting for my US passport to return with my name change so still have not booked my tickets! EEK! I will announce dates I will be unavailable for workshops or to place orders when I have booked my flights! I fully intend to be back, planned and ready to go for June's class on the 18th!

Thanks again to all who have expressed an interest in attending a class and making this happen! I am very excited and just cannot wait 'till May to teach you all some fab techniques!

Please drop me a email at amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.uk if you are interested in attending!

Saturday, 26 March 2011

Tonight was my workshop, it went really well, although as always when I demonstrate my clear stamps decided they didn't want to work for me and kept falling off the clear block! I had little love hearts dotted all the way down my card, but I don't think anyone minded too much! You have to just laugh it off don't you?! Besides from that, I had a great time and I hope they all enjoyed it too! I really am enjoying doing the workshops, its a lot less scary than I thought it would be and it is such a joy to share my passion with others! Also its great to get to know new people and see a whole different side of people that I already know too!

Workshops:So far I have one workshop scheduled at my house in April. This workshop is on Friday April 15th at 7:30pm. Please do get in touch if you would like more details about it or would like to host your own workshop! I would love to come and show you and your friends the gorgeous products Stampin' Up! has to offer and show you all how easy it is to create really beautiful designs! I have 2 workshops that others are hosting next month too which I am VERY excited about! I am delighted to be showing heat embossing, stampin' pastels, blender pens, two step stamping with a stamp-a-ma-jig and more! If you would like to see these techniques too, come along to my April workshop or book your own! I'd love to show you too! I know it is a little busy next month with Easter and the Royal Wedding but I hope you will find time to relax and do something creative!

Classes/Clubs: Secondly, I am really excited to tell you that I am intending on starting up some sort of a class/club really soon! It is only in the initial thought process and planning stage at the moment but I hope to hold my first one in the near future! I am intending on holding them once a month in my home and while there will be no commitment to attend every month, places will be limited and therefore if you would like to come you will need to book your place! Each class will involve making several projects, including a 3d item. For this, there will be a fee (price is still to be decided - probably somewhere around the £10 mark) to cover the cost of materials used. As a class differs from a workshop each guest will get to make all the projects I demonstrate instead of the usual one simple 'make and take' typically done in a workshop.It is a great way to relax and unwind and get to "play" with more of Stampin' Up!'s products before purchasing anything and also learning how to get the most out of the products you already have! Plus, I will be on hand to help if you have any questions, which is always good if you're trying out a new technique! If this interests you, please get in touch as I cannot begin holding classes until I have sufficient interest! I have about 4 people who have shown an interest so far but I need more! Please do get in touch, email me at amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.ukI look forward to hearing from you soon!

I'm sure everyone is glad it is the weekend, I certainly am! Its been a very busy week and I'm looking forward to some cleaning, tidying and hanging out in the garden enjoying the gorgeous spring weather with my husband tomorrow. We might even go out on a little adventure...how exciting hey? Can't wait! I hope you are all going to enjoy equally pleasant weekends!

Friday, 25 March 2011

Its been a busy day! Such nice weather urged me to get some cleaning and other stuff done today so now its late and so today is just a quick little card for you all. This is the swap I made to swap with the the other demos that attended the training last Saturday!

Pretty simple little card, I stamped the Pretty in Pink cardstock with En Francais in versamark and then embossed it with clear embossing powder. I punched out all the shapes and then adhered them altogether. Finally I stamped the sentiment "thanks" from part of the Fun and Fast Notes set using masking technique.

Hope you've all had a good day, I better get off to bed now as I have lots to do tomorrow and my workshop is tomorrow evening, don't forget, if you're in the area and interested please do feel free to come! For more details contact me!

Wednesday, 23 March 2011

Ok, super excited! About a week or two ago I entered into the chance to become a member of a design team for Simply Stampin' Challenge. I've always looked on envoiusly at people that are on design teams and just wished that could be me one day. Looking at the other entries for the design team competition, I didn't think I had much chance, there was some super hot, super talented people and entries in there! I just found out that I was chosen!! Really excited! So as a design team member I get to make a project following a brief/challenge and submit it once a week to be shown on the Simply Stampin' Challenge site! You too can enter in the challenges and winners will be chosen each week! Very exciting!! I'm really looking forward to being challenged each week to come up with a new design, be it card, scrapbook page, 3d item, its about the challenge. And about meeting new people, making friends and seeing how others interpret the same brief! When the site goes live, I will post a link to the site, please do check it out, its going to be really fab! Can't wait!

Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Yesterday my husband's cousin had a little baby girl, Georgia Poppy! (totally adore her name!) I am so excited! The boys are all so sweet, but this is the first girl to be born in the family for 15 years so she is long overdue! I am not a baby person in the slightest but I am really excited to meet her and have a little cuddle! Maybe its my maternal side kicking in or something! I don't know! Anyway, obviously a new baby requires a welcome baby card! I showed one last week, but I wanted to make a special little one just for Georgia today, and here it is...

It's a Girl

Stamp Set: It's a Girl (Hero Arts, not SU)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette DSP, Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant, Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight

Accessories: Brads, Linen Thread

Extras: Blender Pen, Dimensionals, Paper Piercer

A really simple little card, its very tall and thin but the height was important to enable me to have enough space for the elephant and flowers as well as the hanging girl mobile! I really love the little adorable wording and heart in the bottom corner! Adorable is definitely my word of the moment!

These cards were CASEd from a sample shown in a old Sale-A-Bration leaflet I found online, as this stamp set was a SAB set a couple years ago. I am really loving it! (I'd suggest the Fast and Fabulous Hostess only set for a current similar stamp set! I only used the outlines, one of the 2 steps from this two step stamping set, here. The card is very minimal in style and is finished off with a simple sweet line of paper pierced holes.

This is my first attempt at bleach stamping! Its so easy and very fun! I poured some bleach onto a paper towel to make a bleach ink pad and then inked up my stamps with the bleach. When you stamp it will look clear for a moment and then gradually the image with begin to show as the colour on the cardstock is literally bleached out in front of your eyes! Just make sure you very thoroughly wash your stamp afterwards!

Sunday, 20 March 2011

I have just had the most darling of days! I attended my first ever Stampin' Up! training event today. I have to admit I was rather like a rabbit in headlights to begin with and was totally terrified of being all alone and not knowing anyone! My worst nightmare!! My fears were laid to rest when about 10 seconds within entering the room I felt welcomed, and much more relaxed. EVERYONE was SO nice! I have been a demonstrator for about a month now, and am super glad I've done it! Not only do I get a fabulous discount on wonderful high quality craft products, and share it all with my lovely customers and guests, but I get to go to training events, meet some amazing people who are just like me!! (its so terrific to know I'm not alone out there...there's a who tribe of other wonderful ladies that share my passion and joy!) I would definitely recommend anyone who is thinking of maybe becoming a demo to just go for it! Whatever your reasons, however much you want it to affect your life it is just fabulous and has made me so happy! If you would like to find out more about joining the Stampin' Up! family please email me at amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.uk, I'd love to talk to you and tell you more about all the wonderfulness Stampin' Up has to offer you!

The training day, besides from being a fantastic place to meet other demos is also an amazing place to collect a whole host of new ideas! I am STILL buzzing about all I've seen and heard today...I have taken so many photos and stored so many ideas inside my little head I feel I am about to burst! I can't wait to try out some of these things I've seen today and also show them to my lovely customers too! I even got a free stamp set which is coming out in the new mini catalogue on April 1st, it is so cute and sweet, I just cannot wait to show you all! That will have to wait 'till April 1st though! Oh the secrets and suspense hey?

The past few weeks I've been busy making swaps, I'll post a photo of my swap and how to make it next week, promise! Anyway, I made about 30 of these and then I got to swap with the other demos today for things they made. I am simply blown away by all the awesome ideas I have bee given, again, my head is buzzing with ideas as I gaze over my couch full of all the gorgeousness! I would just like to thank everyone I got a swap off of for them, they really are amazing and I can't wait to try them out for myself!! :D I am so excited I think the only thing that is going to make me sleep tonight is pure exhaustion! haha! I also have now been introduced to a ton more blogs and I fear my blog time is going to go through the roof...I think I am going to have to limit myself!! EEK!

I just want to say thanks again to everyone today that made me so welcome and accepted and for all the beautiful ideas I have been given.

I also would like to just acknowledge my wonderful husband's sweetness in giving up his Saturday and more importantly his lie in to drive me to Coventry for the day. He spent it visiting old friends and university house-mates. After my day had finished we went to the Harvester, just down the road from where he used to live for a meal, that place is packed full of memories, to me, no Harvester will ever compare! Thanks again Stuart, I really appreciate all you do!

This card is so simple and really elegant! Literally all I did was stamp the flower (I stamped off once on scrap paper for a paler more subtle look) and leaves 3 times on the cardstock base and then punched a strip of Wild Wasabi DSP with the border punch and adhered it to the bottom. It simply gives the flowers a little bit of grounding!

This card was slightly inspired and very loosly CASEd from a card I saw in the current SU ideas book and catalogue. In the card it had several layers on the eyelet border punch layered on top of one another. I was keen to try this, so I punched several strips of coloured cardstock and began playing around. To be honest I felt it was a little too flat how it was, it needed a bit more body and life to it, so I began crumpling, scrunching and distressing the cardstock pieces with my hands. Now I'm happy with it. The thin strip of Pumpkin Pie just helps break up the wide block of Melon Mambo and also just separate the frills from the sentiment slightly as it gives the sentiment something to sit on. I can't help think that it reminds me of those little frilly mini skirts that seem to be the fashion these days! I'm totally loving this card!

Recently, I dug this stamp set out of my stash and have been having fun playing around with it.I stamped the circular medallion on Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry and then punched them out with the circle punches. I stamped the larger medallion stamp from the set in Early Espresso on the Crumb Cake background and then layered the punched circles on top using dimensionals. I finally stamped the sentiment at the bottom, added a rhinestone and rounded the corner.

Thursday, 17 March 2011

These cards really are cute by the inch...this stamp set is a level two hostess only stamp set, and I have to say, if you are wondering about whether to get it by hosting a workshop, go for it, it is a awesome set and I just can't get enough of it at the moment! Today I have a cute itty bitty mini set I made using the stamps from this set, they're so simple and easy to make but really do the job for all those little thank you's you want to give quickly and inexpensively!

I stamped the images out on Whisper White cardstock, cut them all out and then punched out coordinating scalloped squares and adhered them together. I then pierced the scallops on the square to add a little more detail and adhered it to the centre of the 3"x3" notelet. Finally I finished off the card by rounding the corners and adding some white stitching around the edge!

These would make a perfect little gift but equally make very useful little notes to give to people!

Finally, I just want to say that Stu's collegue was very happy with the wedding card I made, I am SO happy! Its a bit scary making a card for someone and not knowing if they're going to like it or not!

I have a bunch of other cards I've been working on this week but I think they will have to wait for tomorrow as today was a little bit busy! It was a lovely day, running a couple errands, then lunch in town with one of my old uni friends, it was so nice to chill out and catch up with her for a bit! When I got home I had a few things to do and a few cards to get ready for a friend to pick up which she had ordered (a little side note, it still always gives me a little happy thrill then I sell something I've made!) Anyway, the order from my workshop last week came in today too so I sorted that out too and then it was time to go to the prayer meeting at church. Afterwards I got to give Deb her stuff she had ordered, I'm excited to see how she and Abi get on with it all! It really is a joy to see others getting creative through just a little guidance and coaching!

Its now very late and I have to say I am really quite shattered. I better go get some shut eye! Can't wait for the weekend, this week I feel is dragging slightly, and I am excited and also a little nervous for Stampin' Up's regional training event on Saturday. I'm sure its going to be lots of fun and get to see and make cool new things, and I'll get to meet a bunch of other more local (more local than Shetland at least!) demonstrators. I'm just a little nervous as I don't know anyone yet, walking into a room full of people I don't know with no-one to hide behind is freaking me out just a tad! I'll let you know how I get on!

My husband, Stuart, took in a bunch of my cards today to sell at his school for me, as a result, I have been asked to make a wedding card. Brilliant because I love making pretty wedding cards! However, the specifications are "beautiful and different!" That's a corker! Beautiful is the easy bit but trying to come up with a card that is different too is proving more tricky! Trying to remember back to my own wedding last summer and the cards we got then, I guess the common wedding cards include hearts, bride and groom, flowers and cake, so how to do a different card?! I've been mulling it over all evening and after finishing off a few other projects and having a go at bleach stamping because I just couldn't wait (so much fun - sample on its way hopefully tomorrow). I remember some gorgeous cards that my upline Rhoda posted on her blog (link: http://shetlandstamper.blogspot.com/2011/02/exciting-times.html). I've been wanting to try out one of these banner cards for a while, it was one of the reasons I decided I just had to have the modern label punch - not a decision I have regretted one bit! so, this is my CASEd version, please do let me know what you think...

Wedding Day

Stamp Set: All Year Cheer I (retired), All Year Cheer II (retired), So Happy For You (SAB)

Extras: White Gel Pen, Flower Punch (not an SU one but I would have used the Boho Blossoms punch if I had it!), Modern Label Punch

I stamped out individual letters from sentiment stamps and cut them out to layer onto the modern label punch which I used as the basis of my banner. I also used handwriting to make up the word. The modern label punches were then folded over in half and adhered with the linen thread in the middle. They were attached to the card with a brad at each end and the thread wrapped around the brads. I accessories the sentiment on the banner by adding a few little layered flowers and rhinestones for a elegant and sparkly look.

I hope it goes down well, I guess I shall see tomorrow! Please do let me know what you think! I love reading your comments!

Wednesday, 16 March 2011

We had several days of lovely weather, and I really though things were brightening up, it was feeling warmer and was very sunshiny, but the last couple days have been very over cast and cold! Winter obviously is trying to cling on just that little be longer! Although it was a cold and dreary day, as I walked to work this morning I admired the sweet reminders that spring is on its way. I loved seeing the snowdrops and crocuses come up last month but now I see the tulips and camellias budding, the daffodils too are on their way! This is one of my favourite things about March, I love flowers and after a solid winter with not much to see in the garden it is a reminder of bigger and better things to come! I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to some sun, heat and more flowers to see!

As a result of it not being such a nice day I didn't get around to taking any photos of this week's creations yet, I had enough to do and just thought it could wait another day...hopefully tomorrow!

Tuesday, 15 March 2011

This is the third and final of my updates on the past week and half! I have some more stuff I've been making the past few days but I'll leave that for tomorrow (I'm enjoying some nicer weather so I can take the photos outside, they just look so much better in good lighting! Anyhow, its not a very sunshiny day so I'm going to hold off and hope for a better day tomorrow, its not like I haven't got enough to keep me busy on the blog today anyway!)

This update, as the title suggests, is miscellaneous cards, which include thinking of you, friend and baby cards!

For You Poppies

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch (SAB)

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive

Accessories: Basic Rhinestones

Extras: White Gel Pen, Dimensionals, Eyelet Border Punch

This is a sweet little card which combines stamping the scalloped poppy stamp in several colours, cutting and layering the pieces on top of one another. the Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie background strip just really makes the scalloped circle pop!

I used a post-it note to mask out the word 'friend' on the stamp so that it just says 'friend' in one of the scalloped squares. By repeating the image but only having one of the images complete with the sentiment really enhances the sentiment and help it out stand out!

True Friend

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch (SAB)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Pacific Point, So Saffron DSP

Ink: Old Olive, Pacific Point

Extras: White Gel Pen, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

This card is CASEd from a card I found on a website called Splitcoast Stampers, if you have never heard of it before I'd definately recommend checking it out! Its a fabulous place for inspiration and sharing ideas.

A really sweet little baby card! Again I stamped the tag in 2 colours so I could paper piece over the top to create a multi coloured image, without having the markers! The ducks from Every Little Bit along the bottom mirrors the tiny ducks on the mobile!

Hope you enjoyed these cards and I look forward to hearing your comments!

A really quick easy card. I stamped the presents on Whisper White CS and then stamped again onto Designer Series Paper and cut them out. I punched some Wild Wasabi DSP with the punch and adhered it to the bottom with a narrow strip along the top. I adhered all that to the white background and finally stamped the sentiment above the presents.

I wanted to try using DSP to make presents. I saw a card similar to this on the wonderful Kristina Werner's website, unfortunately I dont think it turned out as nicely as hers did. At least I tried! Let me know what you think!

I cut strips in a variety of widths of cardstock, and adhered them to the card, adding the scallop punched saying HB in a row too. I finished off the card by doing some dots and dashes with a white gel pen on the card strips and rounding the corners. This is a good manly card!

Happy Birthday Owl

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Old Olive

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Extras: Dimensionals, Two Step Bird Punch

I punched out the leaves and branches using the Two Step Bird punch and then stamped the owl onto Crumb Cake and Cut it out. I adhered it all together and popped the owl up on some dimensionals to add some depth.

I simply stamped the flower from Every Little Bit onto some DSP and then cut them out, adding dimensionals to the back and adhereing them in a grid pattern to the Whisper White cardstock, which I adhered to Rich Razzleberry cardstock that had a punched bottom edge on. I added some Whisper White grosgrain ribbon to help finish it off and a small blob of crystal effects to the centre of each flower to give it a glossy finish! Finally I stamped the sentiment in the bottom right hand corner!

I stamped the flourish onto Crumb Cake in versamark ink and then added clear embossing powder. I then sponged Elegant Eggplant ink over the cardstock to create this spongy purple and kraft coloured effect. I stamped the butterfly, cut it out and folded the wings up to add dimension. I attached it with a glue dot. I punched the eyelet border and adhered the card together. Finally I stamped and punched out the sentiment, pierced a whole in each side and attached it to the card by wrapping linen thread around the card.

I hope you enjoyed my second update, check back later for my third update!

about me

I have been an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator for three years! I love sharing my passion with others! Its one of the best things I've ever done, only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! If you're interested in hosting, earning free goodies, or joining my team please shoot me a message! Have a browse and leave me a comment - it makes my day to know I've made someone somewhere smile!